MARCH 25, 2025 – The Fort Carson Intrepid Spirit Center hosted an Open House Friday, March 21, 2025, to increase awareness for the center’s services, and to support Brain Injury Awareness Month.
The Fort Carson Intrepid Spirit Center, or ISC, is a state-of-the-art treatment facility dedicated to the assessment and care of concussions and other forms of brain Injuries.
“As part of the Defense Intrepid Network, the Intrepid Spirit Center provides comprehensive care and support for service members, veterans, and their families who have experienced traumatic brain injuries,” said U.S. Public Health Service Cmdr. Steve Spoonemore, a board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist and physical therapist with the Fort Carson ISC. “Our primary mission is getting service members back to duty in order to maintain an effective fighting force.”
Spoonemore says that many of the symptoms with traumatic brain injury are difficult to see externally yet impact the ability for service members to function in their military and family roles.
“The team-based care model helps us identify the associated symptoms of TBI, address them in comprehensive way, and empower the service member and family with tools to maintain optimum capability,” Spoonemore said.
Dr Brian Kelly, the deputy director of the ISC, says that these “invisible injuries” often go unrecognized, making events like this crucial.
“The military is deeply committed to addressing brain injuries to enhance warfighter readiness and improve quality of life during and after military service,” Kelly said. “The brain plays a vital role in numerous functions, from mood to memory to marksmanship. Just as soldiers once sharpened their swords for battle, we strive to ensure today’s service members have sharp minds, free from symptoms.”
Kelly says that treatment at the ISC is highly individualized based on patient needs and goals. Services provided often include medication management, physical therapy, occupational therapy, neuropsychology, speech and cognitive rehabilitation, art therapy, and music therapy.
The ISC also sees other TRICARE beneficiary categories, to include family members and retirees.
For more information about the Fort Carson ISC, please visit: https://evans.tricare.mil/Health-Services/Specialty-Care/Traumatic-Brain-Injury-Brain-Health.
Story by Gino Mattorano
Evans Army Community Hospital